Deji Adeyanju, the convener of pro-democracy and good governance group, Concerned Nigerians; Ariyo Dare Atoye of Concerned Nigerians, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution and Adebayo Raphael of Free Nigeria Movement, alongside several other comrades, have said that the groups are set to stage a one-million man protest tomorrow being Wednesday, the 14th of August, 2019 to demand the unconditional release of the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in the 2019 general elections, Mr. Omoyele Sowore.
They said that the protest is equally aimed at demanding the unconditional release of those they described as prisoners of conscience such as Jones Abiri, Steven Kefas, Dadiyata and others.
Recall that while Jones Abiri, Steven Kefas and Dadiyata have variously been detained and are still in detentions till date, Sowore was arrested by the operatives of the Department of States Services, DSS, in his hotel room in Lagos.
Sowore was arrested over his call for nationwide revolutionary protest tagged, #RevolutionNow, against alleged maladministration by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
The protest held in various parts of the country despite his arrest, although not without stiff resistance from security agencies, with some of the protesters arrested and subsequently arraigned in Lagos.
Also, the DSS, in an application it brought before Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who is sitting as a vacation Judge, had obtained the leave to detain Sowore in its custody till all its investigations were concluded.
Ever since then, many prominent Nigerians, including civil society organisations and socio-political groups like PANDEF, Ohanaeze-Ndigbo, Afenifere, among others have condemned Sowore’s arrest and called for his immediate release.
Meanwhile, in a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Adeyanju, on behalf of the other groups, said they would lead a one million man #FreeSoworeNow protest to demand the unconditional release of the detained activists.
According to him, the #FreeSoworeNow protest will take place at the Unity Fountain, Abuja by 11am on Wednesday. He said, “We are protesting for other prisoners of conscience too.”
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